What is the Heart of the Matter?
To experience grace is one thing; to integrate it into your life is quite another. —Christian Wiman, My Bright Abyss

• Question: What do we want participants from both cohorts to have experienced by the end of our time together?
• Intention:  To deepen our individual and collective curiosity and kenotic posture in the container of being seen, heard, loved just as I am by my friends including the Divine.

What is the nature of our approach? 

• Cohort One: To bring experiential clarity to the Journey in the context of Mentern-ing (application in the context of relationships).
• Romancing/reverencing the four contexts (interior, relational, systemic, environmental), not as separate but as lenses into the whole.   
• Cohort Two: Orientation to the journey paradigm and to the convening wheel; introduction to the men in the first cohort
• Cohorts One and Cohort Two Together: shared practice, all learners, all teachers, weaving together in service of the whole, focusing on the integrative nature of leadership.

Essential Conversation

• What components will serve the heart of the matter?
  • Shared contemplative practices
  • Shared relational practices (all transformation is relational)
  • Practice spiritual companioning (Cohort One)
  • Review and/or introduction to The Journey and Art of Convening
  • Wilderness Wanderings (posture/approach of reverence)
  • Caring for our bodies, mindful eating, movement, breathing

What to bring

• Each person is invited to bring an object that represents the heart of the matter/sacred for them and childhood picture.
• Bring your Journey Guide & Journal
• ​Please bring your own bedding and towels (Sleeping bags work great.). 
• Bring a headlamp or flashlight.
• Bring your favorite snack and beverage to share.
• ​Plan to spend a good amount of time outside so dress warmly in layers.
• Bring inspirations from the More Than Human World .

 
Synchronous: When will we meet? With whom? Virtual/In-person?

Asynchronous: What will be the invitation to participants in between our gathering times?

RETREAT SCHEDULE  OVERVIEW (for both in-person and virtual participants)
Thursday
         7:00 - 8:00 PM: Setting Context Cohort 1 
​Friday Cohort 1 and Cohort 2
         7:30 - 8:00 AM: Contemplative Sit Cohort 1 
​         2:00 - 4:00  PM: Constructing Wilderness Shrines & 3D Mapping Cohort 1 
         7:00 - 9:00 PM: Council Cohort 1 and Cohort 2

Saturday Cohort 1 and Cohort 2
          7:30 - 8:00AM: Contemplative Sit
          10:00 - 11:30: Council
          4:00 - 5:00PM: Council
          7:00 - 9:00PM: Council

Sunday Cohort 1 and Cohort 2
           7:30 - 8:00AM: Contemplative Sit
          9:30AM - 12:00PM: Council
​
RETREAT DETAILS

          
Thursday (12/9):  Cohort 1 - Arrives between 1:00 & 3:00

6:00 PM: Dinner
7:00 - 8:00: Cohort 1 - Evening (Hybrid). Setting context and open circle 
9:00: Fireside sit and wandering in the dark

Friday (12/10):  Cohort 1 and Cohort 2

7:30 - 8:00 AM Contemplative Sit - Cohort 1  (Hybrid)
8:30 Breakfast
9:30 - 12:00: Wilderness Wanderings - Cohort 1
12:00 - 1:00: Lunch
2:00 - 4:00:  Cohort 1 - Constructing Wilderness Shrines (Earth/Water/Fire/Wind) 3d mapping.
    Gather hybrid for orientation.  (Hybrid)

3:00 - 5:00: COHORT 2 ARRIVES

5:30 - 6:30  Dinner
7:00 - 9:00 PM: 

• Introduction of Wilderness Shrine by Cohort 1 with Cohort 2 witnessing; (Hybrid)
• Orientation of Cohort 2 with Cohort 1 witnessing; (Hybrid)
• Open Circle Cohort 1 and Cohort 2​ (Hybrid)

9:00: Fireside gathering (In person)

Saturday

7:30 - 8:00: Contemplative Sit Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 (Cohort 1 volunteer) (Hybrid)
8:30 - 9:00 Breakfast
10:00-11:30 AM:  Experiential Application of the Journey, followed by open circle Cohort 1  with Cohort 2 witnessing. (Hybrid)
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
Afternoon: Wilderness Wanderings Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 (note labyrinth for in person)
4:00 - 5:00: Council Gathering Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 (in person and optional hybrid)
5:30 - 6:30: Dinner
7:00 - 8:00: Discernment and Co-creation: Where do we go from here? (modeled after council process) Cohort 1 (Hybrid)
7:00 - 8:00: Deepening Journey (model after council process) Cohort 2 (Hybrid)
8:00 - 9:00: Council Gathering Cohort 1 and Cohort 2  (Hybrid)
Sending into dream time
9:00: Fireside gathering (In person) Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 


Sunday

 7:30 - 8:00: Sit - Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 (Cohort 2 volunteer) (Hybrid)
8:30 - 9:00 Breakfast
9:30 - 10:00: Opening Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 (Hybrid)
10:00 - 11:00 Clarifying next steps/emergence/dreams and vision Cohort 1 (Hybrid) Jeff Convening
10:00 - 11:00 Clarifying next steps/emergence/dreams and vision Cohort 2 (Hybrid) Terry Convening
11:00 - 12:00 Closing Ceremony Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 (Hybrid​)

12:00: Lunch

Journey Home or Linger for a while

“And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”  Meister Eckhart